


Don't Drink and Livestream, Especially When You're Famous

by NekoAbi



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Gen, Human AU, Paparazzi, being drunk, brief kiss, drinking heavily, famous au, shitty exs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:21:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28013097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NekoAbi/pseuds/NekoAbi
Summary: Janus is trying to help his friend get over his shitty ex. Their heavy drinking does lead to a rather unfortunate situation they're left in...
Comments: 1
Kudos: 16





	Don't Drink and Livestream, Especially When You're Famous

Janus was incredibly pissed: both in anger and from the alcohol he’d been ingesting beside his friend, who was currently sat beside him, still throwing back shots. A far cry from how most people saw him.

Roman Smith, who was more commonly known by his stage name of Roman Valentine, was normally seen as the clean, polished, smiling actor on stage in the latest Broadway show that was being fawned over by the teenage population. He’d sing song after song, recite line after line all with practised perfection and emotion. Roman was adored and loved. So, to see him at such a low point would have been a shock to most.

Yet Janus was utterly unfazed by it. He’d know Roman for longer than he could remember. He’d seen him black-out drunk on more than one occasion – Janus had to reign in Roman’s party-drinking after their first year of college. What was really getting to him was the fact that this was all happening because Roman was heartbroken.

In a moment between drinks, Roman paused and looked solemnly out from the booth they were sat in. His eyes were a little glazed from all the drinking, but the sadness remained. Tears began welling in his eyes and Roman went to scrub at them, almost screaming in frustration. Janus grabbing a hold of his hands before he could any damage to himself was the only thing that stopped him. “How could he?” Roman slurred, eyes puffy and red, “He said he just didn’t love me anymore, Jan. Like, that’s _so_ not fair. What did I do wrong?” He was quiet, or at least, compared to the loud music thrumming through the room and their bodies.

Janus’ grip tightened, to the point that Roman actually yelped in pain and had to rip his arm away (though he did knock most the empty shot glasses onto the floor in the same movement), “Uh, sorry. Didn’t mean it, to hurt you. Just… mad. You didn’t do _anything_ wrong. _Nothing!_ ” Janus punctuated his sentences with pointed gestures, “He’s the asshole. Just leaving like that, like what the hell.”

The bastard had already gotten all his belongings together in a suitcase when Roman had gotten home for his next small break from the shows. He’d given a speech about how ‘he and Roman just didn’t work anymore’ and that ‘he just didn’t feel it now’ alongside other such bullshit. Clearly, the man was just an asshole. At least in Janus’ current drunken and emotional state.

“Come. Dance with me. Forget him.” Janus tugged on Roman’s shirt, trying his absolute best to gracefully remove himself from the seat. The actor followed, saying nothing. With only a few stumbles, they reached the dancefloor and pushed their way to the middle of it.

At first, Roman was pretty much refusing to dance without Janus, but then, as each song passed, he let the music start to guide him. He started to dance alone, then with anyone and everyone who approached him. The alcohol was really kicking in now, time and place meant nothing. He was just surrounded by strangers that wanted him; he was nothing more than a puppet to the music pounding in his ears. Unbeknownst to him, Janus was doing something utterly ridiculous and stupid.

Janus had pulled out his phone and started up a livestream, holding his phone up high. It was a far cry from what his audience had come to except. The man was normally poised, refined, sardonic. He’d carved a niche for himself as the sarcastic vlogger and artist – with his unique style of jazz-indie fusion music doing particularly well. He never did livestreams. So, his followers were pouring in and finding their usual expectations thrown completely out the window. Janus was messy, loud and generally unkempt. It was difficult to make out, but some did recognise Roman in the background – and then in the foreground when Janus approached and pulled him into shot.

Then a sense of urgency cut through the drunken haze and Janus quickly turned off his phone. He internally chastised himself for doing something so out of character, but the full consequences didn’t managed to make it through, so he just pretended it hadn’t happened.

Hours later, the club was closing. Janus and Roman staggered out into the street, both using the other for some sense of stability. Far more drinks had been consumed since Janus’ impromptu livestream and Roman’s thoughts were rid of his ex. Instead, they were focused elsewhere as they walked around to where they were to be picked up.

“Y’know,” Roman started, slurring heavily now, “I really like you.”

Janus snorted in amusement, but Roman continued.

“Nah, like I really do like you. You’d be way cooler and funner to date. You’re like cute and hot and fun and cute…” Roman rambled, clearly not himself.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, if I’m so cute, then you’d kiss me.” Janus challenged, meaning it half-jokingly.

But then Roman did just that. It was awkward and sloppy as the two were drunk as anything and they almost fell over as their centre of balance moved. It was short too, just a very wet peck on the lips. They two fell into raucous laughter before continuing their walk around the building.

Unbeknownst to them, the sound of a camera had gone off nearby.

The next day, Janus slowly awoke with a massive hangover. He barely wanted to open his eyes, he simply wished to lay there in bed and perish. Janus turned over and buried his face in the incredibly soft pillows… which were definitely not his pillows. Cautiously, he just barely opened his eyes enough to realise that he had crashed at Roman’s after their adventure last night. _‘At least I know where I am…’_ Janus thought to himself, almost cringing at how loud his thoughts were.

He was just about to lay his head back down and prepare to leave the mortal realm, when the door opened and Roman practically threw himself on the bed. He was clearly panicked as he tried to wake Janus, “JANUS! OH MY GOD, WAKE UP! YOU NEED TO SEE THIS! THIS IS SO BAD! OH MY GO-!”

“Roman… please be quiet.” Janus muttered, pressing his hand to Roman’s mouth to silence him. With a lot of effort, the man sat himself up and squinted at Roman. “Explain quietly, or else.” He threatened, though his hushed, pained voice did very little to help.

Before Janus even dropped his hand, Roman held his phone up. “This!” He said, urgently.

With yet more wincing, Janus tried to focus on the bright screen. It took a few moments, but everything became a tad clearer and his body practically froze.

Front and centre were pictures of him and Roman, clearly from last night. They looked far more drunk than Janus remembered, but then he didn’t remember much. He then realised that one of them showed them… kissing?! His brain whirred through his memory, trying to find that one, but clearly it wasn’t there. The tabloid headline was something along the line of ‘who was Roman Valentine’s mysterious new flame?!’ or something equally as absurd.

Janus looked up at Roman, who was shuffling about nervously, “What do we do?! I don’t remember that.”

“Me neither…”

“Oh god…” Roman looked like he was about to throw up. Janus moved to the side, as he considered the amount of alcohol from the previous night and realised it could easily happen.

“Stay calm. It’s just stupid tabloid stuff, right?”

“Yeah, but… it still looks bad! People don’t know that…” Roman’s voice cracked, and his eyes began to water once more.

Janus quickly reached out and wrapped Roman in a comforting embrace, “It’ll be fine.” His head was protesting but he wracked his brain for any semblance of a good idea. “We could pretend to date for a while. For the media.”

“What?! Are you crazy?!” Roman practically screeched before slapping his hand over his mouth as Janus grimaced harshly. “Sorry…”

“It’s fine. I just think if we pretend for a while, the media can get their fill _and_ Mr Asshole can get his comeuppance.”

Had Janus been of a sound mind and not incredibly hungover and likely still somewhat drunk, he’d have never come up with such a mind-bogglingly moronic idea. Yet here he was, with Roman agreeing to the plan with a mischievous grin.

The actor left the room, returning with some painkillers for Janus, who gladly took them. “Once you’re feeling up to it, we can really work out the details, yeah?”

“Sure. Just… let me rest and please keep it down.” Janus mumbled into the pillow, having already gotten comfortable again.

“No promises!”


End file.
